The present invention relates to a pedestal mount for a boat deck useful for mounting swivel chairs, ski tow bars, tables, trolling motors, depth finders, and the like to boat decks. Particularly, the invention relates to a mount which attaches substantially flush with the top and bottom surface of a boat deck, which conveniently slides and locks into a non moveable position, yet can be easily unlatched for removal of the pedestal, and which leaves a substantially unobstructed deck surface when the mount is removed.
Pedestal mounts for boat seats, such as swivel fishing seats and the like, have been previously known as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,848, issued to L. B. Currey, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,620, also issued to L. B. Currey. These known seat mounts are of the type that require a deep hole or socket attached substantially flush with the upper surface of a boat deck but project substantially below the boat deck in order to give a sufficiently long or sufficiently deep socket for adequate leverage to maintain the pedestal in a vertical upright position. Such pedestal mounts therefor require substantial distance between the boat deck and the exterior hull to give clearance for the pedestal socket. This necessarily limits the location at which such pedestal mounts could be attached. Typically such mounts could only be placed along the center of the boat where there was sufficient hull to deck clearance and on upper decks where there was a storage chamber immediate below the deck. Where there was a storage chamber, the insertion of the socket often hindered the access to such a storage chamber.
Pedestal mounts have been known for use both as seat mounts and also as ski rope pylon mounts, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4589,366, issued to K. J. Eiber. While the Eiber patent has a dual function, the Eiber mount nevertheless suffers from the same below deck clearance problem as with other deep socket pedestal mounts.
Slide mounts for upward projecting handles have been known in connection with other articles such as a steering handle for a skate board as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,297, issued to N. Levine. However, such slide mounts are not of the type previously considered useful by those in the boat making arts. The problems associated with having a flush top and bottom for boat deck mounting purposes are not present and are not overcome by such non-boat deck slide mounts. The slide mounts previously known for such non-boat deck purposes do not suggest the present invention.